Trail upgrades in progress at Home Water Preserve

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                     
March 31, 2026                
                                     
Rachel Hansen, Chelan PUD: (509) 661-4320
Dania Contreras, Chelan-Douglas Land Trust: (509) 667-9708

Trail upgrades in progress at Home Water Preserve

WENATCHEE, WA — Trail season is here, and exciting improvements are underway at Home Water Preserve to create better, more sustainable trails for riding and hiking.

As of April 1, Sage Hills Trail is open. Other trails at Home Water Preserve will be closed while crews restore habitat and upgrade trails for long-term use. The 960-acre Home Water Preserve is owned and managed by Chelan PUD as a wildlife preserve that’s open for public recreation between April and November.

Chelan PUD, Chelan-Douglas Land Trust, and Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance are teaming up on the multi-year project. The goal is to provide:
-    A better recreational experience: Smoother trail flow, angled turns and fewer steep climbs.
-    Durability: These trails are designed to last longer with less maintenance, better water drainage, and soil composition that holds up under tires and boots.
-    Habitat protection: Decommissioning unsustainable trails will restore habitat, increase separation between wildlife corridors and recreation, and protect the area’s fragile ecosystem.

“We’re creating a win-win for people and wildlife,” said Kelly Cordell, Senior Wildlife Biologist for Chelan PUD. “The wait will be worth it in the long run.”
“When folks go around the closure points, it delays the work and creates serious safety risks,” Trails Project Manager Ryan Graig added. “Staying off closed trails helps us finish faster, and when the work is done, riders and hikers will enjoy smoother, more sustainable trails built to last.”

The project will decommission about four miles of unauthorized and unsustainable trails, while improving and authorizing four miles of existing trails for future public use.
Trail work is scheduled between April and June 2026 on these trails:
•    Coyote Canyon 
•    Lightning 
•    Snakebite 
•    Heart Murmur

Opening dates will be announced after the work is finished. 
By December 2026, several unauthorized trails will be permanently closed and restored to natural habitat, including:
•    Upper Blue Sage 
•    Short Toss 
•    Jackhammer 
•    Upper Maiden Ridge